An N-port ID virtualization (NPIV) based storage network environment involves a fibre channel (FC) protocol that allows for creation of multiple virtual initiator ports, each with a unique worldwide name as an identifier. The virtual initiator ports, also referred to as a NPIV virtual host bus adaptors (HBAs), can be associated with a virtual machine (VM) on a physical computing system, for example, a server. The virtual initiator ports of the VM can be supported by one or more physical FC ports through which the VM can communicate with devices in the storage network environment. With NPIV in the storage network environment, the VMs along with the associated virtual initiator ports can migrate from one physical computing system to another physical computing system to transfer the workload between the physical computing systems.